Liquid-dispensing apparatus for stamp-affixers



y w; 1i BALKWILL. LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS FUR STAMP AFFIXERS.

APFIICATION FILED NOV. l, 19l6.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

INVENTOH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC.

WESLEY J. BALKTILL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO 1VIITII'UJIPOSTyCOMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORIORATION 0F NEW YORK.

LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUSTFOR STAMP-AFFIXERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 19, 1920.

Application led November ,1, 1916. Serial No. 128,883.

To all whomz't may concern.' Y

Be it .known that I, VVnsLEY J. BALK- wiLL, of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Liquid-Dispensing Apparatus for Stamp- Aiiixers; and Ido hereby declare thej following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specication, and to thereferencenumerals marked thereon.

My invention relates to a liquid dispensing apparatus for stampaiiixers, and has for its object to provide means for advancing a stampstrip arranged to operate a liquid dispenser for depositing liquid uponthe article to which the stamp is to be affixed. A further object of theinvention is to provide a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp axersand the like from which liquid may be discharged by an ejector arrangedto be operated by a movable portion of the machine. To these and otherends the invention consists in certain improvements and combination ofparts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novelfeatures being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through a machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2- is a detail sectional elevation through the liquid carryingreceptacle illustrating the mechanism for discharging liquid therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4:-41 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the tank or receptacle shown inFig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the ejector for Vdischarging liquid fromthe tank.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

In the provision of liquid dispensers for stamp or label aliixersconsiderable trouble has been experienced in providing a tank or liquidcarrying receptacle that can be depended upon to prevent the escape ofthe liquid through the discharging ports or orices of the tank when themachine is not in use. One of the objects of the present invention is toovercome this objection, and

Y the article to which the stamp is to be at the Vsame time provide amore simple and satisfactory ej ecting mechanism for discharging liquidr'rom the tank when it is desired to apply it to the obj ects upon whichstamps or other gummed strips are to be affixed.

In illustrating my .present invention I have shown it applied to amachine comprisp ing a base 10 upon which is mounted a :trame or housing11 carrying a reciprocatory plunger 12provided with a stamp afiixinghead 13, At one side of the machine the frame 11 is open, and removablyiitted in said opening is a stamp or label container 14; provided with aroll of stamps or labels 15 wound upon a spool 16, the end .of the strippassing downwardly through a guideway at 17, which terminates in thelaterally curved portion 18 over which the free end of the stamp orlabel strip is fed by the fingers 20 carried by the plunger 12. The freeend of the strip' is fed through the opening 21 above the baseV 10,which is adapted to be placed upon the article to which the stamps areintended to be ailixed. A cutter 22 upon the plunger is provided forsevering the stamp from the strip when the same has been advanced theproper distance to position the stamp immediately beneath the head 13.The liquid dispensing apparatus is designed to be operated for applyingliquid to the article to be stamped previous to the severance of thestamp by the cutter in a manner which will presently be explained.

The liquid holding tank or receptacle 23 is preferably mounted upon thebase 10 within the walls of the frame 11 at a point directly oppositethat at which the fed and severed by the cutter 22. The receptacle isadapted to contain liquid, such as water, for use in moistening the gumor other adhesive material a plied to the stamps or labels, although idesired liquid adhesive material may be carried in the tank anddischarged therefrom for atiixing purposes. Through the inner wall 24 ofthe tank is provided an oriice or plurality of orifices 25 which areinclined downwardly and outwardly to direct the liquid discharged fromthe tank across the path of the alixing head- 13v at a point beneaththat at which the stamp emerges way so that a spray will` be depositedupon aiiixed stamp is from the guideprevious to the severance of thestrip.l The means for forcing liquid through the orice 25 comprises aswinging or pivoted ejector 26, the lower or freev end of which consistsof a plurality of spaced lingers 27, each of which is provided with anysuitable yieldable material, such as the rubber bands indicated at 28,which are adapted to normally close the orifices or ports 25. However,the orifices are preferably made of such small diameter as to preventthe escape of liquid therethrough when said orifices are uncovered, itbeing understood that a slight vacuum will be produced in the tank aftera limited amount of the liquid is forced out and that at such time theatmospheric pressure upon the outside of the tank will be suiicient toprevent the escape of the liquid except when the same is acted upon bythe ejector.

The ejector is pivotally mounted upon a pin 29extending through theenlargement- 30 on the removable side 31 of the tank and into threadedengagement with the enlargement 32 at the opposite side of the tank. Asleeve 33 is mounted upon the pin 29 and extends through the ears 33l ofthe ejector and into said enlarged portions 30 and 32. The ejector isprovided with an angled portion or arm 34 having an elongated aperture35 adapted to receive the T-head 36 of the ejector actuating bolt 37which extends through the upper wall of the tank and terminates in theenlarged head 38. A gasket 39 is mounted upon the bolt 37 against theinner face of the upper wall of the tank to prevent the escape of liquidat this point as well as to prevent air entering the Atank around saidbolt. The gasket is supported by a washer 40 against which one end of acoil spring 41 is adapted to bear, the opposite end of which is seatedupon the angled portion 34 of the ejector t'o normally hold the same inthe position shown in Fig. 2. One side of the head 38 is slotted toreceive the end 42 of the horizontal arm of a lever 43 pivoted upon thepin 44, the opposite ends of which are seated in the upstanding lugs 45carried by the top wall of the tank. The lever is provided with avertically positioned arm, the lower end of which has a cam or inclinedsurface 46 projecting into the path of an arm 47 of a pawl, pivotallymounted upon a dowel 48 carried by the aiiiXing head 13. The end 49 ofthe pawl by engaging a wall of the aiiiXing head prevents the operationof the arm 47 in an upward direction, but said armvis free to move in adownward direction against the action of the spring 50 to which the pawlis connected. The T-head 36 of the bolt 37 is adapted to be insertedthrough the aperture 35 before the lever 43 is connected with the head38 of the bolt. After the T-head has been inserted through the aperturethe bolt is then turned through an angle of ninety degrees and held inthis position by the end 42 of the lever 43. The tank is provided with athreaded opening '5l through which it is filled, the opening beingclosed by a screw cap 52, as shown in Fig. l. Operation of the plunger12 in a downward direction will cause the arm 47 of the pawl to engagethe inclined surface 46 of the lever 43, thereby elevating the bolt 37and arm 34 of the ejector against the action of the spring 4l, thepurpose being to move the ejector upon its pivot so that the bottomthereof will be spaced from the orifices 25 previous to the completionof the stroke of the plunger. As the pawl passes the lower end of thevertical lever arm the latter will be released and the compression ofthe coil springy 4l will be suficient to return the ejector withconsiderable forceV to the normal position shown in F ig. 2. The suddenreturn of the ejector under the action of the spring 4l forces liquid tobe discharged through the orifices downwardly upon the article to bestamped, which is placed beneath the affiner by the operator. By thisarrangement, positive means is provided for forcing a spray of liquidthrough the orifices and upon the article to which the stamps are to beaiiizied previous to the completion of the downward stroke of thealixing head. The return of the plunger to normal position is permittedby reason of the fact' that the pawl is free to move downwardly whenengaged by the end of the vertical lever arm during the upward movementof the plunger.

l. claim as my invention:

l. In a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp ailixers, the combinationof ay -frame, a stamp aii'ixing member movable `thereon into and out ofstamp aftixing position, a liquid receptacle having an orifice leadingtherefrom, an ejector pivoted in the receptacle, a pivoted memberoperatively connected with said ej ector, and means movably mounted onsaid stamp aihxing member for actuating said pivoted member.

2. In a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp aiiixers, the combinationof a frame, a stamp aiiixing member movable thereon into and out ofstamp ailixing position, a liquid receptacle having an orifice leadingtherefrom, an ejector pivoted in the receptacle for discharging liquidthrough said oritice, a lever operatively connected with'the ejector,and a devicepivoted to said stamp aiiiXing member adapted to engage thelever and retract the ejector when moved in one direction, and a springadapted to automatically return the ejector when the lever is released.

3. In a liquid dispensingl apparatus for stamp afIiXers, the combinationwith a reciprocatory plunger and means for positioning a stamp in frontof the plunger, of a liquid carrying receptacle having a plurality ofdischarge ports leading therefrom, a swinging ejector provided Withindependent j return the ejector to normal position after operation ofsaid movable member.

4. ln aliquid dispensing apparatus for stamp aixers, the combinationWith a trame and an aiiixing member movable thereon into and out ofaiiiXing position, of a liquid carrying receptacle having a plurality01"' discharge ports leading therefrom, a pivotally mounted ejectornormally closing said ports, an angled portion carried by the ejector, amovable member extending through a wall of the receptacle intoengagement With said angled portion, a spring adapted to normally holdthe ejector in closed relation With said ports, and a lever pivotedintermediate its ends upon the receptacle, having one end operativelyconnected with said movable member and the other arranged to be actuatedby the operation of said aiiiXing member.

5. In a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp afliXers, the combinationof a movable plunger, a liquid receptacle having discharge ports leadingtherefrom, an ejector mounted in the receptacle to swing therein, aspring normally maintaining the ejector in position to close thedischarge ports, a member slidably mounted in said receptacle adapted toactuate said ejector, and means controlled by said plunger for actuatingsaid sliding member. Y

6. In a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp ailixers, the combinationof a movable plunger, a liquid receptacle having discharge ports leadingtherefrom, an ejector mounted in the receptacle to swing therein, aspring normally maintaining the ejector in position to close thedischarge ports, a member slidably mounted in said receptacle adapted toactuate said ejector, and a lever operatively connected to said slidingmember and adapted to be actuated by theV plunger.

7. In a liquid dispensing apparatus for stamp afliXers, the combinationof a movable plunger, a liquid receptacle having discharge ports leadingtherefrom, an ejector pivoted in said receptacle and normally closingsaid ports, a bolt slidably mounted in the receptacle and operativelyconnected With said ejector, a lever projecting in the path of saidplunger and adapted to operate said bolt to retract the ejector, and aspring for returning the ejector to normal position.

8. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid carrying receptaclehaving a plurality of discharge ports leading therefrom and having oneof its sides removably fitted thereon, a bolt having one of its endscarried by the removable side and its other end by the side of thereceptacle opposite the removable side, an ejector pivotally mountedupon the bolt between said sides, and means for moving the ejector uponthe bolt'to cause the discharge of liquid through said ports.

9. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid carrying receptaclehaving a discharge port leading therefrom, an ejector pivotally mountedWithin the receptacle having an elongated opening formed therein, aT-head bolt arranged to be inserted through a Wall of the receptacle andthrough said opening and turned so that the head will be brought intoengagement with the ejector and means movably mounted the receptacle foractuating the bolt to operate the ejector, said means serving to preventthe turning of the bolty upon the ejector.

WESLEY J. BALKWILL.

